IOMB 87

Chapter 87

Cordelia opened her eyes very slightly.

Even after opening them, it was completely dark around her. At first, she wondered if it was nighttime, but the relentlessly shifting sensations quickly brought her to her senses.

Come to think of it, her condition wasn’t normal. She had a cloth stuffed in her mouth, and her hands and feet couldn’t move, suggesting she was tied up.

Moreover, the space around her was extremely cramped. Every time she tried to move her limbs even slightly, she kept bumping into something like a wall. Judging by the rough texture she could feel, it seemed she was inside some kind of sack.

Except for a thin line of light seeping in, everything around her was pitch black.

“Ugh?”

What is happening? Why am I tied up, and where the hell am I?

She listened carefully. The clattering of wheels suggested she might be on a carriage. She tried moving her hands vigorously, but the ropes didn’t loosen even a bit. Frustration made her feel like she could go mad.

‘Didn’t I hear something?’

‘Could it be… that they’ve woken up?’

‘Whatever. Let’s just check when we arrive.’

The faint voices sent a chill down her spine. She rolled her eyes in the darkness.

So, she was being kidnapped, wasn’t she?

She frantically tried to recall her recent memories. She had come to the estate, seen that man, and was about to go find Tyrene.

After that, her memory was blank. Her neck felt sore, as if she had been struck. Yes, she had definitely seen that man there.

‘Count Horel!’

Remembering the man she had seen at the estate, Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut. The feeling of a vague premonition suddenly coming true… it was utterly miserable.

It was impossible not to jump to conclusions. This was it!

This must be the woman disappearance case that Tyrene mentioned. Which means she was in serious danger right now…

Escaping immediately was utterly impossible. Since it seemed they weren’t going to kill her right away, she’d have to wait for an opportunity when the chance came. Besides, she might be able to learn the whereabouts of the young lady presumed to have been kidnapped.

While thinking over these possibilities, the clattering suddenly stopped. She heard the neighing of horses and the cheerful chatter of people.

Cordelia closed her eyes once more.

“So, you fought with Cody again, huh?”

Jerania took a sip of tea. Watching her younger sister calmly cut to the point with a gentle face, Frederick clicked his tongue in mild displeasure.

“He just refuses to listen.”

“Enough, Rick. You know Cody’s been very patient.”

Jerania’s soft rebuke made Frederick frown slightly.

“You and Kalyana are always on his side.”

“Everyone else will side with you, so we have to at least support Cody to maintain some balance.”

Jerania pointed out his stubborn nature. Of course, Frederick wasn’t without a retort.

“As a member of the family, he has no sense of responsibility. Delaying marriage too. He’s had so many good opportunities, yet he refused simply because he ‘didn’t like it.’”

Fortunately, her family background and looks were decent; otherwise, society would have started whispering about Cordelia still being unmarried. They could suppress it for now, but not forever.

The sooner she realized reality, the better. The longer it took, the harder it would be to manage.

“Taking on obligations is one thing. But Cody doesn’t need to live the same life as you.”

A vague remark, neither positive nor negative, hung between them. Jerania continued without hesitation.

“You’re the heir of the family, and he’s the youngest. He doesn’t need to shoulder anything—so why be so spiteful?”

“Do you think living like that forever is right?”

“A ‘right’ life isn’t the only correct answer.”

Frederick stared at Jerania. She was the wisest and most level-headed person he knew. No wonder the famously picky crown prince chose her as his sister.

He had long realized he could never outmatch Jerania. Had they been of the opposite gender, they might never have been able to speak so frankly to each other.

“Rick, you succeeded because you followed the path laid out for you. Even marriage was like that. In the end, you loved Pamela.”

An arranged marriage by his father’s plan. Jerania was still sometimes surprised by the outcome.

Pamela wasn’t especially beautiful, smart, or from a notable family. Except for her kind and cheerful personality, she couldn’t even please others properly. And yet, Rick cherished her so much—it was hard to understand.

He had even been a notorious playboy before marriage.

“But Cody would be miserable if he lived like that. You know that, so why keep insisting?”

“I say it because I care.”

“Even concern has to be expressed well, or it won’t be received as care. Don’t assume everyone interprets your concern the way you do.”

When Jerania criticized his harsh tone, Frederick crossed his arms and groaned.

“If he just acted properly, I wouldn’t have to say this.”

“You never admit you’re wrong, do you? Sometimes you act more childish than Cody.”

Jerania offered gentle advice to his silent refusal to respond.

“Be honest. If you live thinking only your way is right, someday you’ll reach a point of no return.”

“Then that too would be my fate.”

Jerania shook her head at his unyielding stance. Two stubborn people clashing—this was exactly why trouble arose. If they weren’t family, they would have fallen apart long ago.

Cody, no matter how fierce the storm, clenches her clothes tightly. But in sunlight, she’s soft and weak.

Just like Prince Ian.

“Your Majesty, are you here?”

A voice called from outside the closed door. When she told them to enter, a maid hurried up to Jerania.

“What is it?”

The maid whispered the urgent message in her ear. Jerania’s eyes widened.

“What did you say?”

“What a meticulous bastard!”

Tyrene slammed his hand against the wall in frustration. The expressions of the other team members were equally grim, exhausted from barely sleeping for several days.

After searching the Horel estate, Tyrene’s team had secured the bizarre decorations, books, and contact lists of the people he had associated with. This was all routine.

Then, with the help of magicians, they discovered a secret room filled with paintings on the walls. Each depicted beautifully adorned women who resembled corpses that had been murdered.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, they continued investigating, eventually finding tools, sketches, and diaries that recorded his crimes and methods.

“The moment when a living being’s breath ceases and the light fades is stunningly beautiful, no matter how many times I witness it.”

“From the moment the soul fades, the body begins to wither. It takes less than a day for the corpse to decay. It is agonizing that this beauty cannot last long. Even if preserved, it cannot retain its essence…”

The diary was filled with romanticized nonsense, as if written by a non-psychopath artistically. Murder remained murder, no matter how prettily it was framed.

Still, despite the thorough investigation, the perpetrator’s whereabouts remained unknown.

True to his slippery nature, he left no clues about his next crime scene.

The same happened when he fled the Delos baron’s residence. The pursuit returned empty-handed. When they realized he had used a stand-in carriage to escape, they were dumbfounded.

Two days passed with no significant progress. Since he didn’t use magic, detection spells were ineffective.

Fortunately, the city gates leading out were strictly guarded, and the other side was mountainous, making escape difficult.

The hostages’ lives were at real risk if time dragged on. They were desperately trying to locate likely spots, but time was slipping away.

Knock. Knock.

The sound awakened the investigation room from silence.

“Who is it?”

“Noah. May I come in?”

A polite voice drew everyone’s attention to Tyrene. He cleared his throat softly.

“Please, come in.”

A disheveled man entered, making the team tense. Though timid-looking, his size carried a strange intimidation. Perhaps that’s why even the captain seemed uneasy.

Noah respectfully addressed the red-haired woman sitting in the chair.

“I have a message for Priestess Rines. May I have a moment of your time?”